Archive for the 'Railfanning' Category

Corona Yard

I took the tour of the Corona Yard, home of the 7 train, last Saturday.  I posted some pictures.

The tour check in was a bit rocky, but eventually turned out to be one of the better tours I’ve been on.  It started off with a discussion about sustainability, and how the Yard is the newest facility and how they took the opportunity to reduce energy use and reduce other wastes.

Once we made it down to the shop floor, we walked along the tracks with some explanation about various things we saw on the way.  Next up, we went into a R62A and were able to look around (including the cabs) and ask questions.  There they gave us a demo about the door systems and it’s safety features.  The three little kids on the tour were able to play around with the PA and make announcements.

After the demo, we continued along and was show the various part underneath the car and was show the machine that rounds the wheels (while they are still on the car).

Another demo was given about how they give the cars “third rail” power with the overhead power connectors (I think they were called bugs (or was that only for auxiliary power)) so they can move the cars into and out of the shop.

At the end of the tour, they handed out little plastic baggies with the wheel shavings, “7″ stickers, and a pamphlet.

Lackawanna Railfest 2008

I went to Steamtown on Saturday with some friends for Railfest.  I posted some pictures.

50 Years to Far Rockaway

http://gallery.sourmilk.net/thumbnails.php?album=26

Posted the pictures I took on the “Nostalgia Train” excursion to Far Rockaway.  Just a photo dump, no editing except for size.

The trip started from 57 St/7 Av on a set of R1/9 cars.  We then proceeded to Queens Plaza to get on the E line so we could go down Eighth Av into Brooklyn.  There was a brief stop at Court Street (the NYCT museum; yes we rode right into the museum), then headed to Rockaway Park.  If you stayed on the train, you would have gone to Far Rockaway and back across the bay before going back to Rockaway Park.

IRT City Hall Station pictures

http://gallery.sourmilk.net/thumbnails.php?album=25

I posted the pictures I took of the IRT City Hall station.  The tour was given by the New York City Transit Museum on March 15, 2008.

I’ll have to touch up the pictures at some point, most of them are really dark (the station’s lighting isn’t the best).